And I Am Home Again
by PorcelainRose
Summary: After the wizarding war has ended, Katharine Dearborn needs to begin her life again. Charlie Weasley teaches her what it is like to live and to love. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction about it.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

In the peaceful English town of Northamptonshire, the wealthy Muggles busied themselves with their daily chores. Large estates were scattered all across the countryside, each with well-manicured lawns and extravagant gardens. Children frolicked happily in the lush green grass, sending peals of laughter into the fresh air. While the townsfolk carried on with their lives, something peculiar was going on unnoticed right under their noses. On the edge of the river that ran through the town, the Dearborn family lived in a beautiful stone mansion. However, unbeknownst to the citizens of Northamptonshire, Edward Dearborn and his family regularly performed magic away from prying Muggle eyes.

The manor had housed generations of Dearborns since roughly around the Middle Ages. Edward was currently the last of his generation, inheriting Dearborn Manor. Unlike many other pureblood wizarding families, the Dearborns had always been kind to the neighboring Muggles. Adapting to their surroundings, they dressed in Muggle clothing so not to seem suspicious. The Dearborn family was highly respected among its fellow wizarding families, and had been for centuries.

On a particularly cheerful day, the sun beamed down upon Dearborn Manor and rays of light shone through the tall windows of an enormous library on the second floor. Thousands of books lined the walls, most of which were more than a hundred years old. In a brown leather armchair, a little girl in a pale blue dress sat with a book on her lap that appeared to be about half her size. Her dark, glossy curls were pulled back into a white bow, cascading gently down her back. Her piercing blue eyes glided swiftly over the words on the yellowing pages, eagerly drinking up the stories they told. Her tiny feet in delicate black slippers dangled several inches from the scarlet rug, swinging ever so slightly.

She had an older brother who was fifteen years older than she. Her mother hadn't been able to get pregnant for awhile after Caradoc was born, so when she finally did, it was extremely exciting for the entire family. She was her parents' princess, pampered and well-taken care of, as if she would break with the slightest touch.

Unknown to the girl, a pair of blue eyes identical to her own watched her from the doorway. Rosalind Dearborn gazed upon her daughter with interest and pride. At the tender age of seven, her little woman was already able to read books that many twelve-year-olds couldn't. Rosalind smiled as she watched her daughter attempt to blow one incorrigible lock of hair out of her pale face. Her efforts proved to be in vain, though, as it continued to fall back into place with every swipe.

Sensing the presence of another person in the room, the little girl glanced up at her mother. "Mama," she called. "Read this to me please."

Rosalind sat down on a comfortable sofa in front of the unlit fireplace, lifting her daughter along with the book into her lap. "Where shall I begin?" The girl pointed a small white finger at the top of a page, and her mother began to read. The main character of the story was a beautiful girl who was the daughter of a wealthy wizard and witch. Stories such as this one were favorites of the young girl. She loved to read about handsome princes who came and whisked beautiful princesses off their feet and away into the sunset, where they lived happily ever after. This story was no exception.

When Rosalind finished the book, she placed it on the table in front of her and turned her daughter around to face her. "Katharine," she said seriously. "I want you to remember that real life is not like that. People are going to disappoint you at times, but always keep your head up and everything will be fine. Am I understood?"

The girl's wide blue eyes locked with her mother's.

"Yes, Mama. I understand you."


	2. Chapter One: A Wedding and a Weasley

**Chapter One: A Wedding and a Weasley**

The war had finally ended. Katharine Dearborn could hardly believe it herself. So many people she knew had been injured or had perished on and off the battlefield, including her brother who went missing when she was only twelve years old. After all the pain and suffering, it was finally over. Signs of new beginnings were starting to appear. Shops were reopening, streets were crowded with people again, and Dearborn Manor stood as proudly as it ever had. After her parents died, Katharine reclaimed her childhood home in Northamptonshire. As odd as it was to live in such as big house by herself, it was home to her.

Standing in front of her gilt-framed full-length mirror, she surveyed herself for one last time. Today, her best friend, Nymphadora Tonks, was getting married and had asked Katharine to be her maid-of-honor. As she straightened out her sage-colored robes for the hundredth time, she thought about growing up with Tonks. Never in a million years did she ever dream that her wild, clumsy friend would be getting married before she, let alone to a former professor. She smiled at the thought, and, content with her appearance, she Disapparated.

Katharine barely had enough time to take one step across the green lawn before she was engulfed in a tight embrace.

"You're here, Kate! Oh, I'm so happy!" Tonks squealed, before pulling away to smooth out the wrinkles in her white robes. Katharine smiled at her and adjusted the wreath of pale pink roses on her friends head.

"You look gorgeous, Dora. Remus won't know what hit him."

"Oh, shut up. Look at your curls! I swear, you hair gets curlier every day."

"And look at yours! I see that you didn't get rid of that hideous shade of pink." Tonks was a Metamorphmagus and usually sported spiky pink hair. For her wedding, though, she wore it long and wavy.

"Hey, watch it," Tonks retorted, sticking her tongue out at her best friend.

"How mature of you," Katharine said with a grin.

* * *

The wedding ceremony was beautiful, of course. Tonks was glowing and Remus looked happier than he had ever been in his entire life. Tonks did, however, almost knock over the wedding arch, nearly taking out the minister. Katharine successfully cried through the entire ceremony, causing Bill Weasley, the best man, to have to lend her his handkerchief. The best part by far, though, was when Tonks threw herself on top of Remus no sooner than the word "kiss" had left the minister's lips. The color of Remus' face was priceless.

The reception was held in the Weasleys' backyard. Despite Mr. Weasley's recent death, Mrs. Weasley was still as vibrant and busy as ever. Ginny and Hermione had decorated the yard in white and sage with pink roses everywhere, earning many compliments from the guests.

Katharine was seated at a table with the newly married couple and Bill. Nymphadora (since she couldn't be called Tonks anymore) was telling stories from their years at Hogwarts together, no matter how potentially embarrassing they might be.

"…and then the wind blew your skirt up, and that perverted Hufflepuff, Myers, was standing right behind you!" Nymphadora wiped tears of laughter from her brown eyes, and Katharine hid her burning face in her hands as Remus and Bill tried to conceal their amusement.

"Look what you've gotten yourself into, Remus," Katharine teased. "You sure you still want to keep her?"

Remus laughed heartily. "I'm not so sure anymore. Maybe I'm having second thoughts after all."

"Hey!"

"You know I'm kidding, dear," Remus said, kissing the tip of his wife's nose.

"Ugh, get a room, guys!" Katharine complained in mock-disgust, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Come on, Kate, let's leave the two lovebirds alone," Bill said amusedly, leading the maid-of-honor away from the table.

Bill and Katharine walked around the Weasleys' gigantic backyard, talking about everything imaginable. They discussed the war, of course, but also lighter subjects such as Fleur's pregnancy and Ron and Hermione's upcoming wedding. "We're thinking of naming the baby after Dad if it's a boy, but we can't agree on a girl's name," Bill told Katharine. "Fleur likes all those French names that I can't stand." Katharine giggled softly at Bill's predicament.

"Just pray that it's a boy then," she grinned.

After making her rounds to chat with most of the guests, Katharine grew tired, so she sat down at a table with Fleur, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna. Hermione was currently planning the details of her approaching wedding to the youngest Weasley boy. "The color scheme is going to be cranberry and cream, since it's a winter wedding," she explained animatedly to the other women. "The bridesmaids will wear cranberry silk robes probably with velvet around the neckline and sleeves."

"You should make Ron wear a cranberry bowtie," Ginny suggested with a grin. "I think it would be rather humorous."

Hermione laughed. "I couldn't do that to him! Do you actually think he would agree to it after his dress robes in fourth year?"

Everyone at the table burst out laughing. "I remember zose 'idious tings," Fleur reminisced, absentmindedly moving a slender hand to her round stomach. "I felt razzer bad for 'im in all zat 'orrible lace."

"I think I'd better be going," Luna said in her characteristically dreamy voice. "Dad's expecting me."

All the girls said their good-byes to Luna, and then to Mr. and Mrs. Remus Lupin as the happy couple headed out on their honeymoon. As Katharine walked through the kitchen door, a pink rosebud that had been woven into her dark curls fell out and landed on the floor. She bent down to pick it up, but a larger, freckled hand got to it first. She stood up and came face to face with a man who couldn't have been anything but a Weasley with his wavy red hair and good-natured smile. "This yours?" he asked, holding the flower out to her.

Ginny seemed to notice the confusion on Katharine's face because she quickly said, "Oh, this is my brother Charlie. The one who works with dragons in Romania. Charlie, this is Katharine Dearborn, Tonks' best friend and a friend of the family."

"Nice to meet you, Charlie. I feel bad that I haven't met you before," Katharine said with a shy smile, taking the flower from him.

"No, it's fine," Charlie assured her. "I'm usually not home that much during the year, but I came back for the war."

Hermione was trying to get Katharine to come sit down in the living room with her and the other women. "Well I probably should go, but thanks for picking that flower up for me, and I hope to see you around sometime."

"Definitely. Nice to meet you, Katharine," he said, shaking her hand firmly.

"You can call me Kate. Everyone does."

"All right then. Nice to meet you, _Kate_." Charlie ascended up the stairs to join the other men in a chess tournament.

As Katharine sat down on the couch, she smiled to herself. "Your brother's nice," she said to the vivacious redhead sitting next to her.

"Yeah, it's nice to have him back home. Who knows how long he'll be here for, though," Ginny said, twirling a red lock of hair around her finger.

"Kate, dear, are you planning on spending the night?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "You know we have plenty of space up in Ginny's room for another bed."

"I don't want to put you out or anything, but actually, a sleepover sounds fun right about now," Katharine said. "After all I can't stay with Dora anymore since she went and got herself married."

Ginny grinned impishly. "And God only knows what she'll be doing tonight."


	3. Chapter Two: Dinner Out

**Chapter Two: Dinner Out**

Katharine awoke the next morning to a beam of sunshine streaming through the window by her bed. She sat up groggily, groaning quietly as she remembered that she had to work today. She looked over at Ginny; the normally tireless young woman was sprawled out on her bed, fast asleep with her long red mane of hair spilling over the side of her pillow. Carefully, so not to wake Ginny, Katharine threw on some plain black robes and left the room. Tiptoeing quietly down the stairs, she had almost made it to the front door when she tripped on the edge of the rug. Losing her balance, she fell backward, only to be caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Leaving so soon?"

Katharine looked up into the face of her rescuer, and a pair of warm brown eyes twinkled back at her. "I guess you're always in the right place at the right time, aren't you?" she said, flushing slightly from embarrassment as she straightened herself up. "First you catch my flower, next you catch me. Maybe I should pay you to follow me around all day."

Charlie grinned at her. "Just doing my job, madam." He bowed deeply, causing her to giggle. "And what, may I ask, are you doing up so early?"

"I have to be at work in a few hours," Katharine replied. "My boss will kill me if I'm late one more time." She narrowed her eyes at him in mock-suspicion. "What are _you_ doing up so early?"

"When you work with dragons you have to get used to waking up at all hours of the morning and night." He ran a hand through his thick red hair. "Where do you work, anyway?"

"The Sugar Quill. It's a small bookstore in Hogsmeade. I won't be surprised if you've never heard of it before."

"You're right, I haven't. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Most people don't know about it."

"Ah. Harry and Ginny are planning to go to Hogsmeade today. Want me to tell them to visit you while they're there?"

Katharine smiled gratefully, tucking a piece of hair behind her left ear. "Please do. I rarely ever get visitors, so that'd be nice."

"I'll see you later then, Kate," Charlie said.

"All right, bye." And she Disapparated, leaving Charlie Weasley standing by the front door with a slight smile on his face.

* * *

The amount of people at the Lupins' wedding was nothing compared to the shoppers that filled the streets of Hogsmeade. The Three Broomsticks was packed as usual, Honeydukes' employees were running back and forth from the storage room with boxes of candy, and Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was alive with laughter. Next door to Fred and George Weasley's shop was a tiny store with a sign above the door that read 'The Sugar Quill' in flowing silver script. The bookstore usually attracted more witches than wizards, mainly because of the feminine writing on the sign. Katharine sat behind the counter in her silver robes, looking extremely bored.

"Excuse me," said a young blonde witch with an annoying high-pitched voice. "Where are the romance novels?"

Katharine nearly snorted. Normally she hated stereotyping, but the fact that this girl in robes that were far too tight for her and three-inch stilettos read romance novels was almost too perfect. "Over on the far left, next to the magazines," she pointed. She was trying so hard to keep a straight face, but when the witch subtly held up her right and left index fingers and thumbs in the shape of an L, Katharine was sure she burst a lung from keeping her laughter in.

A tinkling sound filled the air as a tiny bell signaled the opening of the door. Harry and Ginny stepped into the shop hand-in-hand and waved at Katharine, approaching the counter where she sat.

"We've come to save you from your misery," Ginny said. "Charlie told us you would be needing some company."

"Ask your boss if you can leave early. Then you can come have a drink with us," Harry offered. The ditzy blonde witch eyed him with interest from behind a bright pink book.

"Thanks, guys, but I don't know if I can," Katharine said appreciatively to the couple. "Cynthia's pretty strict about work hours. She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "And you'd better go soon. That witch over there seems to have a thing for you, Harry."

Ginny grabbed Harry by the front of his robes and kissed him full on the mouth. The witch gave her a look of utmost dislike, and Ginny smirked back at her. "I think that solves everything."

Katharine shook her head and smiled. "I'll see you later, guys. Do you want to have dinner out or something?"

"Sorry, Kate. Mum's making us come home for dinner tonight," Ginny apologized. "But you're welcome to join us."

"No thanks, I don't want to make her cook for me too," Katharine said. "I'll survive. It's a good thing I can cook for myself or else I'd be over your house for every meal."

"Okay, we'll miss you. Feel free to drop by whenever you feel like it."

As Harry and Ginny left, Katharine couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. She loved her house, but living alone got a bit, well, _lonely_ at times. These were the times when she missed her family the most.

* * *

It was seven o'clock and finally time to close up for the night at the Sugar Quill. Since tomorrow was Sunday, Katharine was happy because she didn't have to go to work again until Monday. She locked the door from the outside and turned around to leave, her face coming in contact with some very hard chest muscles.

"Surprise."

Katharine smiled because by now, that deep voice was very familiar to her. "Apparently I don't have to pay you to follow me around since you do it anyway."

Charlie grinned at her. "I hope you don't think I'm stalking you, because I realize that this must seem really creepy," he said. Even though Katharine couldn't see well in the evening light, she could make out a faint blush on his cheeks. "Mum told me to take you out for dinner since you won't come to our house."

Katharine laughed at how predictable this was of Mrs. Weasley. "I'd love to, but I can't go out in my work robes. Plus, I probably look and smell disgusting."

"No you don't." The blush was back.

"I'll tell you what. If you don't mind waiting, you can come back to my house with me so I can freshen up."

Charlie shrugged. "I don't mind."

Katharine grabbed his hand. This time, they both blushed. "Sorry, but we have to use Side-Along Apparition since you don't know where I live.

"Oh. Right."

The tingling sensation that came along with Apparition shot from Katharine's fingertips to her toes. Then it felt as though she was being sucked through a giant tube of some sort, something that she had never gotten used to in all eight years that she had been Apparating. A warm summer breeze blew through her hair again, and she was back at Dearborn Manor.

"Wow," Charlie said softly, letting go of Katharine's small white hand. She blushed. She always felt uncomfortable when people saw her house for the first time because she didn't like to flaunt her wealth. "Who lived here with you?"

"Um, it's just me," Katharine answered as they approached the enormous wooden doors. "It's just been me since Mum and Dad died." Using her wand to open the doors, she motioned for Charlie to follow her inside. "Where do you want to wait? You can wait here, in the kitchen, in the dining room, there's a library on the third floor—"

"Here's fine," Charlie said, marveling at the crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

Katharine raced up the stair to her bedroom as fast as she could; she hated to keep people waiting. Throwing on a pair of jeans and a light sweater to match Charlie's casual attire, she glanced quickly at herself in the mirror, pocketed a handful of galleons and sickles, and ran back down the stairs. "Ready."

Charlie looked at her with an amused expression. "I've never known a girl to get ready that quickly."

"I didn't want you to wait for long," Katharine said, breathing somewhat heavily. "So, where are we going?"

Charlie grabbed her hand. "You'll see."

In the blink of an eye, Charlie and Katharine were standing in front of a quaint Italian restaurant.

"Do you like Italian food?" Charlie asked Katharine hopefully. "I probably should have asked you before we got here."

"It's my favorite, actually," Katharine replied. "You've got good taste."

They were met with friendly greetings the moment they stepped inside. "Charlie!" a dark-haired waiter shouted, slapping him on the back. "Long time, no see!" Noticing Katharine, he turned back to Charlie, saying, "This pretty girl with you?"

Charlie blushed for what could have been the hundredth time that night. "Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck embarrassedly. "This is Kate, Al. She's a friend of my family." Katharine laughed inwardly as he put an emphasis on the word 'friend.'

"Well, Kate, it was nice meeting you. Hope Weasley doesn't give you too much trouble." With an exaggerated wink, Al led the two to a small booth by a window. "Just yell for me if you need anything."

"Sorry about Al," Charlie said to Katharine after the waiter had left. "He's a good guy, just a bit outspoken."

"No, I like him," Katharine answered. "He's funny."

As they ate their meals, Charlie and Katharine talked about everything imaginable. They talked about their jobs, their memories at Hogwarts, and their families.

"Your house is amazing," Charlie remarked through a mouthful of spaghetti. "I've always wanted to own an old house like that. Even if it wasn't as big as yours."

"Yeah, it gets lonely sometimes since I'm all by myself," Katharine said with a slightly sad tone to her voice. "I love it, but I kind of wish that I could live somewhere else, after everything that's happened with Caradoc—" She cut herself off quickly. She rarely talked about her brother because of all the memories it brought back.

"You're related to Caradoc Dearborn?" Charlie asked, putting down his fork. "I knew your last name sounded familiar."

"He was my brother. I was twelve when he died." Katharine looked down at her hands, and felt Charlie's gaze on her. "I still miss him," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Charlie said softly, matching her volume.

"It's fine. You were just curious."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, finishing up their food. Charlie was the first to break the depressing air that had been set with the mention of Caradoc Dearborn's death. "So tell me about yourself. I still don't know all that much about you."

Katharine smiled. "I'm not a very interesting person. I might bore you to death."

"I'll try to stay interested." Charlie grinned.

"Okay, well I'm twenty-five years old. I was born on August thirty-first, 1973. I enjoy reading Muggle novels, sappy love songs, stories, and poetry, sleeping, strawberry ice cream, snowstorms, and slippers." Katharine paused. "My favorite color is green, and I wish that my skin wasn't so pale. How's that for an answer," she said with a smirk.

"Perfect," Charlie said, also smirking. "Now I can use everything against you since I have a photographic memory."

Katharine laughed. "Now it's your turn, wiseass."

"Okay. I am twenty-seven years old and my birthday is on December twelfth. I like to play and watch Quidditch, read, take care of dragons, and swim. I hate strawberry ice cream and I don't think that your skin is too pale."

"How _dare_ you insult strawberry ice cream!" Katharine exclaimed, feigning horror. "It's the food of the gods!"

"I beg to differ," Charlie said, playing along. "It tastes horrible, and it's pink."

"It does not taste horrible!"

"Does too."

"Does not!"

"Does TOO!"

"Does NOT!"

"DOES TOO!"

"DOES TOO!"

"DOES NOT!"

"Ha!" Katharine cried triumphantly. "You admitted it! I win."

"Damn."

When it came time to pay, Charlie took out some coins from his pocket. When Katharine tried to pay for her meal, he stopped her. "My treat."

"I can't let you do that," she said. "I'll feel bad."

"Honestly, Kate. I took you out, I'll pay."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes. Shoot! I fell for my own trick."

Charlie grinned and slid the coins onto the table. "Shall we go?" he said, offering Katharine his arm.

She took it. "We shall."

They Apparated back to Katharine's house, and Charlie walked her to the front door.

"Thanks for a great time tonight, Charlie," she said.

"Maybe we can do it again sometime. Just tell me when you need some company for dinner."

"Okay, but next time I pay."

"We'll see."


	4. Chapter Three: Photographs

**Chapter Three: Photographs**

_Tap, tap, tap._

Katharine forced one eye open and pushed the thick mass of curls out of her face. A handsome gray owl sat on her windowsill with a letter attached to its leg. She sat up in bed and opened the window, allowing the owl to flutter inside. It waited patiently as she removed the piece of mail from its leg.

"You look tired," Katharine said to the owl. She walked over to the cage where her own owl, Esther, was sleeping. "Feel free to stay for however long you need to." She opened the cage's door and the owl flew eagerly inside, perching next to Esther.

Katharine sat back down on her bed, taking the letter in her slender hands. Her name was written on the front of the envelope in an untidy scrawl. She curiously opened the letter, as the handwriting was unfamiliar to her. As soon as she had read the first few lines, she smiled to herself.

_Dear Kate,_

_I am just writing to thank you for a wonderful time last night. I haven't been out to dinner in, I don't even know how long of a time, and having dinner with you was a great experience that I definitely would like to do again sometime. Whenever you're up for it, that is. Mum keeps telling me to mention that you're always welcome over at our place, so I might as well tell you._

_Anyhow, thanks again, and I hope to hear from you soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Charlie Weasley_

Katharine put on her white silk dressing gown and sat down at her desk to reply to Charlie's letter. Sucking on the end of her quill, she thought about what to write.

_Dear Charlie,_

_I had a very enjoyable time with you, also. I just hope that next time we won't be having dinner together under such pathetic circumstances (on my part). Your mother is too nice to me—of course I know that I am always welcome there. She tells me, after all, as much as possible. Tell her thank you for her generous offer._

_Please write back soon. I need something to keep me entertained in this big, empty house._

_Yours truly,_

_Katharine Dearborn_

Satisfied, she folded the piece of parchment and put it in an envelope with Charlie's name on it. Sealing it, she attached it to the gray owl's leg. "You can take this back to Charlie. Let him know that I say hi."

As the owl soared gracefully out her window and out into the clear blue sky, Katharine leaned on her elbow, positioned by the opened window. She was already having a good day. She woke up to a letter from Charlie, and now the sun was shining and the birds sang cheerfully. Letting the sun bathe her face in light, she cleared her mind of all thoughts and simply basked in the glory of the new day.

* * *

Later that day, Katharine was making her usual round through the manor. Whistling contentedly, she walked softly down the long corridor in which the bedrooms were located. She walked past her room and came upon a larger door in between a library and the nursery. She placed her hand on the golden doorknob and entered the room.

The suite was large and elegantly decorated, with a sitting room preceding the bedroom. The walls were a pale gold color and the furniture was incredibly ornately constructed. Katharine walked into the bedroom and sighed deeply. It was just the same as it ever had been, since as long as she could remember. The giant bed that you could just sink into and fall asleep immediately, the antique curtains—nothing had changed.

Katharine sat down at the vanity table where pictures in gold frames sat on the tabletop. In one picture, a handsome teenage boy with flaxen hair and a tall, wiry build laughed as he carried a tiny girl with ebony curls on his back. Katharine watched as the girl smiled brightly and waved. Another picture was of a couple on their wedding day. The man was tall with aristocratic features, black hair, and shining brown eyes. His wife was several inches shorter than he, but majestic just the same with her beautiful hair falling in golden waves over her shoulders. The newlyweds smiled and raised their champagne glasses, looking blissfully happy.

Pairs of bright blue eyes sparkled back at Katharine was she held back tears in her own. She looked at herself in the mirror and then back at the smiling girl in the pictures. It was then that she realized the toll that the war had taken on her. Her sapphire eyes no longer held the youthful spark that they used to possess. Now they were filled with sorrow and pain, and when she tried to smile, the smile didn't reach her eyes. Her pale face seemed even paler and more tired, and the pink in her normally rosy cheeks seemed to have disappeared.

Katharine could stand it no more, and broke down and cried. The tears flowed freely from her sad, beautiful eyes. She quickly tried to stop them; she didn't have time to cry like this. She had always felt that tears were a sign of weakness, something she couldn't afford. But that was just it—the war had indeed weakened her. She wiped the salty tears out of her eyes with her sleeve for fear that the house elves might come in and see her in such a miserable state.

As she left her parents' room, Katharine whispered something out loud, more to reassure herself than to be meant for anyone to actually hear.

"I love you."


	5. Chapter Four: Fairy Tales

**Chapter Four: Fairy Tales**

_For a moment Anne's heart fluttered queerly and for the first time her eyes faltered under Gilbert's gaze and a rosy flush stained the paleness of her face. It was as if a veil that had hung before her inner consciousness had been lifted, giving to her view a revelation of unexpected feelings and realities. Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in something prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music; perhaps… perhaps… love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath._

Katharine and Tonks (despite her marriage, she still insisted on being called by her maiden name; her reasoning was that she would never allow anyone to call her Nymphadora, and Lupin would get too confusing.) sat on a couch in the Lupins' living room, tears streaming down their faces.

"That's so… beautiful," Tonks choked out between sobs. Katharine just nodded silently, conjuring a handkerchief and blowing her nose.

Remus entered the room carrying two cups of tea. "I don't understand why you two enjoy getting together to read books that reduce you to tears," he said.

"You're a bloke. You shouldn't understand," Tonks replied to her husband. "Now leave us alone." Raising his hands in submission, Remus left the women to discuss the book over their tea.

"I wish real life were like that," Katharine sighed, raising her steaming mug to her lips. "You know, the awkward girl gets the amazingly attractive doctor."

Tonks set her own mug down on the table in front of her. "What d'you mean? You don't think it could actually happen?"

"Well it's not very realistic, is it? Let's be honest with ourselves, men prefer the prettier girls."

"They also like smart ones. With interesting personalities."

"Not the vast majority of them, though."

Tonks looked curiously at her friend. "What happened to my friend at Hogwarts who wanted to be taken away by a handsome prince?"

Katharine smiled sadly and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I just learned to accept the fact that fairy tales aren't real and can't happen. My mum always reminded me when I was younger, and when she died I finally decided to believe her. Let's face it, Dora. I'm never going to get my fairy tale ending."

Tonks punched Katharine lightly in the arm. "Stop being so bloody depressing! I got my fairy tale ending, why shouldn't you get yours?"

"Because nobody's going to want to spend time with a witch who's shy and not interesting."

"Oh yeah? What about Charlie Weasley? Molly told me that you two have been getting pretty close lately."

Katharine blushed and looked down at her hands. "We're just friends. Besides, even if I _did_ like him in the way that you are implying, he probably wouldn't feel the same way about me."

"Please," Tonks said, dismissing Katharine's previous comment. "Charlie doesn't hang out with people for no reason. He'd be back in Romania with the dragons right now if he didn't care about you even a little."

"How do you know he cares about _me_, though?" Katharine challenged. "How do you know it's not someone else here? Or that he wants to spend more time with his family?"

"Hm, let's see," Tonks began sarcastically. "He's always inviting you over for dinner—"

"That's Molly, not Charlie. She does that anyway."

"—you're always exchanging letters—"

"What's wrong with that?"

"—he talks about you a lot—"

"That's because—wait, he talks about me?"

Tonks grinned. "That's what Remus says anyway."

Katharine was beginning to get interested. Charlie Weasley talked about _her_? What did he say? Did he have good things to say or did he talk about how much he couldn't stand her? Well it wasn't as if it mattered all that much. They were just friends, after all. Charlie just happened to be a friend who was extremely adorable, a good listener, not arrogant, understanding, a guy… Okay, so he was a little amazing, but that didn't mean that she had more than friendly feelings for him.

Did it?

* * *

**A/N:** The opening passage is from _Anne of Avonlea_, by L.M. Montgomery. 


	6. Chapter Five: Strength

**Chapter Five: Strength**

"Checkmate."

Katharine threw up her arms in exasperation. "Merlin, Charlie! I told you I couldn't play chess."

"No, you're doing great! How about another game?"

"Absolutely not. I am not going to let myself get crushed by you for the seventh time tonight."

"Please?" Charlie whined, sticking out his lower lip and clasping his hands together pleadingly.

"Don't listen to him, Kate. It's not worth it," said Hermione, who was sitting on a couch nearby, reading a book.

"No, Charlie," Katharine repeated, getting up off the floor to sit next to Hermione.

Charlie stuck his tongue out at her, waving his wand to clean up the chess pieces. "Fine. Be that way."

Katharine laughed. "Fine. I will."

"Well since you won't play with me, I'm going to see what Ron's doing," Charlie said with a smile, going up the stair to the second floor of the Weasleys' house.

Hermione shut her book and placed in next to her. "So. You like him, right?"

A fleeting look of surprise passed over Katharine's face. "Sure. He's a nice guy and a good friend."

"You know what I mean," said Hermione.

A rosy flush came to Katharine's cheeks. "Well… I don't know. It's hard because I don't want to, but I guess I kind of do."

"What do you mean you don't want to?"

"I don't want him to waste his time on someone like me. He deserves better."

Hermione looked straight into Katharine's eyes. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! You're a great person, Kate, and any man would be lucky to have you."

"But really, Hermione. Do you actually think that he would go for me? He's so out of my league."

"Open your eyes, Kate. Have you seen the way he looks at you, the way he teases you, the way he talks to you? If he doesn't have feelings for you, then I don't know what he's trying to accomplish."

There was a short period of silence until Katharine broke it. "Do you really think he likes me?" she asked sheepishly.

Hermione laughed and gave her a hug. As if on cue, Charlie came down the stairs with Ron trailing close behind him.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Ron asked, bending down to give him fiancée a kiss.

Hermione smiled. "Oh, nothing really."

"I knew it! I _knew_ it!" Tonks squealed, jumping up from her chair.

Katharine laughed nervously. "All right, all right. Enough embarrassing me."

"Oh, come on. What's there to be embarrassed about? You just think he's cute and funny and sweet and—"

"Okay, I think we get the picture, Dora."

Tonks looked at her friend incredulously. "Can't I just be a little excited? You haven't liked someone in _this_ way since…" She paused to think. "Come to think of it, I don't remember you ever having a crush on _anyone_ before."

"I thought that Tim McNeale was attractive when we were at Hogwarts," Katharine supplied.

"Yeah, but you just thought he was good-looking; you never actually _liked_ him. Merlin, Kate, I can't believe you've never liked anyone before!"

Katharine blushed. She noticed that she seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. "I always preferred the characters in stories, so I wanted real-life men to be just like them. Mr. Darcy from _Pride and Prejudice_, Colonel Brandon from _Sense and Sensibility_, Gilbert from _Anne of Green Gables_! Apparently, I had my standards set too high."

"So you lowered your standards for Charlie?"

"No, no! Of course not!" Katharine cried. "But then again, I don't _love_ Charlie, either. I mean I do, but just in a friendly way. Those men in the books were models of the man I wanted to marry someday. Charlie's awesome, but I wouldn't marry him."

That night, Katharine lay in bed, wide awake with a certain Weasley on her mind. Her conversation with Tonks had left her more confused than she already had been. She really did like Charlie, she would admit (at least to Hermione and Tonks), but did she love him? To her, love was too strong of a word to use so soon. She had only known him for a few months, so she couldn't be in love with him. She didn't even know all that much about him, other than his fancy to dragons, Quidditch, and chess. She knew every other Weasley like the back of her hand, all except him.

The deaths of her family had left an incredible impact on Katharine, physically and emotionally. She used to be a hopeless romantic, and she still was to a certain extent. But now she looked at things with a more "realistic" (as she put it) point of view. She expected the worst now, and love was something that she couldn't grasp. How strong was love, actually? The love poetry and songs and stories that she heard described love as a wonderful, beautiful thing that could take all your pain away. Was that how it really was, though?

As she drifted off into a dreamless slumber, Katharine remembered her mother's words to her: "People are going to disappoint you at times, but always keep your head up and everything will be fine." And that was what she intended to do.

**A/N:** _Pride and Prejudice_ and _Sense and Sensibility_ are written by Jane Austen, and _Anne of Green Gables _is written by L.M. Montgomery.


	7. Chapter Six: Romania and Realizations

**Chapter Six: Romania and Realizations**

For some reason, The Sugar Quill was extremely busy today. Then again, the Hogwarts students were in Hogsmeade for a trip, so it wasn't _too_ surprising. Katharine sat behind the counter, ringing up hundreds of books on the cash register. As soon as the last girl in line had purchased a copy of _One Thousand-and-One Uses for Lipstick_, Katharine went back to reading her book. Just when she thought she was done with work (for at least a little while), another customer approached the counter.

"Excuse me, madam. I was very disappointed to see that you do not have a wide selection of books on dragons."

Katharine looked up from her book, ready to tell the person to leave if they were unsatisfied. Instead, she laughed and hid her face in her hands when she looked up into a familiar face.

"Got'cha," Charlie grinned, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Don't ever do that again!" Katharine reprimanded him, a smile playing at the corner of her lips giving away her amusement. "You're lucky I'm so stressed out, or else I would have known it was you."

"I'm sure."

"I would have!" Charlie smiled disbelievingly. "And stop patronizing me!"

"Rough day?" Charlie asked, casually leaning on the counter.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Katharine said tiredly. "I really shouldn't come in on Hogwarts' Hogsmeade trip days. When are _you_ going back to work, anyway?"

"In a few weeks," said Charlie. "I just Apparated to Romania today to see how everyone was doing. Ciaran said that they'll be needing me back as soon as they can calm the dragons down. They've been acting up more since the war ended."

"Oh," Katharine said as happily as she could muster. "You must be pretty excited to be going back there."

"Yeah, I am. Those dragons are my life."

Katharine forced a polite smile. "You'll be back for Christmas though, right?"

"Of course," Charlie said. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Um, excuse me?" a small voice piped up from behind Charlie.

"I'm sorry," Charlie said to the little girl. "I guess I'd better be going then, Kate. See you later."

Katharine smiled and waved to him as he exited the shop. He was leaving in only a few weeks? And for Romania! She had gotten so used to having him around that she forgot that he'd have to go back to work eventually. But would she be able to deal with it? At the moment she didn't think it would be possible. He had become such a good friend to her over the past few months. He was always there when she needed company or for anything, really. He could never take the place of Tonks, of course, but she could consider him truly one of her best friends. She couldn't deny him of his happiness, though, and Romania was clearly where he was most happy. She would just have to be content with solely thinking about him.

* * *

"I want to take you out tonight."

"But, Charlie, I'm not dressed properly."

"Then go and get dressed. I know how quickly you can change."

When Charlie had shown up at her front door, Katharine was extremely surprised to see him. She had been in the library all day and had never changed out of her nightgown and slippers since she didn't expect she would be going anywhere that day.

"Where are we going?" she asked him from the stairs.

"Ah, that's for me to know and for you to find out," Charlie replied with a sly smile.

"But my outfit depends on it."

"Jeans are fine. It's cold out, too, so wear something warm."

Katharine decided on jeans and a warm lavender sweater. She laughed to herself as she remembered the last time Charlie took her out to dinner unexpectedly. They barely knew each other then, and it was because Mrs. Weasley didn't want her to spend the night alone. Oh, how much had happened since then.

"This good enough?" Katharine asked Charlie, coming down the stairs with a black cloak in hand.

"Perfect. Now let's go," Charlie said hurriedly, grabbing her hand (without blushing at all) and leading her out the door.

Katharine laughed at his rushed manner. "What's the hurry?" she asked.

"Excitement, I guess," he replied, Disapparating with her before she could even prepare for it.

With a 'pop!' they arrived at their destination. The area was unfamiliar to Katharine; it didn't seem like anything she had ever seen in England. To begin with, it was much colder, as she could feel her nose turning pinker by the minute. Farmland seemed to be everywhere and it was extremely peaceful, not much different than where she lived. As she and Charlie walked down the dirt road, he did not say a word, almost as if he was waiting for Katharine to say something first. Houses started becoming more frequent as they walked until they came upon a little village.

"Welcome to Romania," Charlie said, presenting the landscape to Katharine with a sweep of his arm. "Well, part of Craiova, anyway. This is where my team is stationed."

Katharine was speechless. "Y-you took me to _Romania_ for dinner?" she exclaimed.

"Erm… yeah," Charlie replied nervously. "I hope that was an excited tone and not a 'what-were-you-thinking?' tone."

Katharine laughed and wrapped her arms around Charlie's midsection. "Of course I'm excited! I've never been to Romania before."

Charlie let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Come on. I have some people I want you to meet."

He brought Katharine into a lively pub. Katharine normally didn't like pubs, but if Charlie took her there, it must be okay.

"Weasley! Over here!" A man with sandy hair and a wide smile waved for Charlie to come over to where he was seated with a few other people. Charlie inclined his head in the man's direction to signal for Katharine to follow him.

As soon as Charlie and Katharine had walked up to the table, all four of the people got up to hug Charlie.

"Didn't think you'd be back so soon," the sandy-haired man remarked. Katharine recognized his accent as Irish and figured that he must be Ciaran.

"I wanted to take Kate here to meet you guys," Charlie said. Katharine waved friendly.

"Hello then, Kate. Good to meet you," said the Irishman. "It's nice to finally meet the famous Katharine Dearborn. We were starting to wonder if Charlie made you up." Charlie blushed and Katharine laughed.

"This git here is Ciaran O'Connor," Charlie said to Katharine. "Next to him is Maggie Dawes, his girlfriend." Charlie pointed to the slim woman with strawberry-blonde hair and bright green eyes sitting next to Ciaran. "Across from her is Ed Savage and next to him is Rick Lewis. They all work with me."

"It's good to see another woman," Maggie said amiably to Katharine. "I'm usually surrounded by these idiots all the time."

Katharine grinned. "I sympathize with you."

"Maggie doesn't know what she's talking about," Ed said, his hazel eyes sparkling. "She really loves us."

"We just wish that she wouldn't act like our mother half the time," Rick added, running a hand through his curly brown hair. Maggie reached across the table and slapped him playfully.

"I'm taking Kate out to dinner tonight, but I wanted her to meet you guys first," Charlie said. "If you're still here we'll come back afterwards."

"All right, have fun," Maggie said, winking at Katharine.

As they left the pub, Katharine started to laugh softly.

"What?" Charlie said, looking at her amusedly.

"Your friends are so funny," she said. "You're lucky to be working with such great people."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

Charlie took Katharine to a small restaurant that was owned by a local family. As they were eating their meals, Charlie asked Katharine a question.

"I know this may seem a little forward, but what would you want in a man you would consider marrying?"

Katharine was taken aback a bit, but quickly recovered. "Well, that's a hard question. Personality-wise, you mean?"

"Sure."

"He would have to be loyal and understanding. Unselfish, compassionate, definitely forgiving, intelligent, it'd be nice if he was romantic, and he would have to be good with children." She looked at him curiously. "Why do you ask?"

Charlie smiled. "Just wondering." He paused. "So you _do_ like children, then?"

"Of course," Katharine replied. "What about you?"

"Sure I do. How can I not in the family I grew up with?"

Katharine laughed. "True."

They finished their meals and Charlie paid, despite Katharine's objections ("You said I could pay next time!" "I said we would see."). They walked outside and Katharine yawned.

"Tired?" Charlie asked.

"A bit," she replied, drawing her cloak closer around her body. "Would you mind very much if we didn't go back to that pub? I don't think I'll be able to stay awake much longer."

"Of course not. Anything for you."

They Apparated back to Dearborn Manor, and as Charlie turned to leave, Katharine invited him inside. "I won't force you," she said, but Charlie couldn't reject her invitation.

"I'm sorry I don't have any coffee," Katharine said. "As you know, I'm not a big fan of it."

"That's fine," said Charlie. Katharine led him into the living room. With a wave of her wand she lit a fire in the big stone fireplace.

"Thanks for taking me out tonight," she told Charlie, motioning for him to take a seat next to her on the couch. "It was one of the best times I've ever had. Your friends are awesome and Craiova is beautiful. I can see why you love being there so much." Her voice because instantly softer. "I'll miss you when you go back."

At that moment, she gazed up into Charlie's chocolate brown eyes and _knew_. She finally knew what everyone else seemed to have known all along. She knew that she _loved_ Charlie Weasley. No matter how many times she had tried to deny it, deep inside her heart was a flicker of her true feelings. And it was too bad that she had realized it now that he would be leaving within the next week.

"I'll miss you too," Charlie said gently, the dim light from the fire illuminating his strong features.

Tears welled up in Katharine's shimmering blue eyes, and she bent her head to hide her face. Charlie took her tiny white had in his larger, calloused one, and ran his thumb over her soft skin.

"Please don't cry," he whispered.

Katharine turned her tearstained face up to look into Charlie's eyes again. He brought a hand to her face and attempted to wipe the tears away, but they kept falling.

"Please don't leave me here alone," she sobbed desperately. "Dora doesn't come to visit anymore since she's married. You're the only one who comes to see me in this big lonely house. I can't live here alone. Too many memories… I can't do it. Please, Charlie. Help me…"

Charlie took Katharine in her arms and stroked her long black hair. He held her until the tears stopped flowing and her breathing slowed to a steady rate. As she slept, he whispered into her ear, "I'll always be here for you. I promise."

* * *

Katharine awoke the next morning, well, _afternoon_, at twelve thirty. The fire in the fireplace had gone out, so it was freezing cold. She saw her jeans and sweater and remembered everything from the night before. Noticing that Charlie was gone, she wondered where he could be. A piece of parchment lay on the end table next to the couch. Picking it up, Katharine saw that it was a letter addressed to her, so she read it.

_Dear Kate,_

_I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you this morning, so I hope you find this letter when you wake up._

_I received a letter in the middle of the night from Ciaran. It turns out that they need me in Romania earlier than they thought they would. I'll be gone by the time you read this, so I just wanted to say goodbye. I'll be back for Christmas, but I won't be able to come back in between now and then._

_I thought you should know that I'm thinking of you and I miss you already. These past five months or so have been some of the most memorable months of my life. I am so glad that I met you that night at Remus and Tonks' wedding. If I hadn't, who knows what kind of a person I'd be now?_

_Please remember me as you continue on with your life, and make sure to write me often._

_Yours,_

_Charlie_

Katharine let the note fall from her hand to the floor. He was gone. Fresh tears fell from her eyes; whoever said that you could cry so much that you could use up all your tears apparently hadn't cried that much. The love of her life was gone and wasn't coming back until Christmas. Although it was only a short time away, it seemed like forever. And after Christmas he would go back to Romania and stay there for, God only knows how long, until he returned for another visit.

There was only one person she could think of talking to at the moment, so she Disapparated from Dearborn Manor without even putting on a cloak. She reached her destination and knocked on the door, not even caring about how she looked. The door opened and a woman with pink spiky hair clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my God, Kate. Come in here."

* * *

"So he just left? He didn't even bother to say goodbye to you in person? I never thought Charlie Weasley could be that heartless!" Tonks exclaimed heatedly.

"It was an emergency. He had a good reason for it," Katharine said quietly.

Tonks looked at Katharine despondently. "I'm so sorry, honey," she said, putting her arm around her friend. Katharine's shoulders started heaving and the well-known tears streamed down her cheeks. She pulled herself away from Tonks promptly. "I'm getting your clothes all wet," she said.

"Who cares? It's just water. It'll dry." Katharine attempted a grateful smile. "So he's coming back for Christmas, he said? That's not that far away. At least you have something to look forward to."

"Yeah, but what about after that?" Katharine said, her voice slowly rising. "Who knows when I'll see him again? He's not even in the country! He's off in bloody Romania with those bloody dragons! What if he gets hurt? Dragons aren't exactly the most docile creatures in the world!" She stopped, breathing heavily. Noticing the astonished expression on Tonks' face, she immediately felt guilty for yelling. "I'm sorry, Dora, but this is so hard for me. Please try to understand."

"I understand," Tonks said. "It just hurts me to see you like this."


	8. Chapter Seven: Blue Christmas

**Chapter Seven: Blue Christmas**

It was a brisk day in early December and Katharine was at the Weasleys' house, decorating for Christmas. Ron and Hermione were currently out in Diagon Alley, shopping for their new house. Bill and Fleur were at home, as Fleur was nine months pregnant and due any day. Fred and George had taken the day off from work to help, and Harry had also come to join in the festivities. Charlie and Percy were the only Weasleys who were not present; Charlie couldn't afford a day off from work and Percy was just too busy at the Ministry. Mrs. Weasley had invited Katharine to join them because she didn't want her to spend too much time alone. Katharine suspected it was because she felt bad for what happened with Charlie.

"Just hang that garland above the mantle, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Katharine as she magically strung lights on the tree that the twins had cut down themselves. "Ginny, go help Kate with that."

Ginny took one end of the garland and helped Katharine put it in place. "Thanks," Katharine said. "No problem," Ginny replied. Lowering her voice slightly, she said, "Hear from Charlie lately?"

"Yes," Katharine said out of politeness; talking about him made her miss him more. "He said he's still planning on coming for Christmas, but he won't be able to make it to Ron and Hermione's wedding."

"Well it's good that he's been keeping in touch with _somebody._ None of us have heard from him since he left."

Suddenly, somebody let out a scream from the kitchen, and everyone rushed in to see what the matter was. Mrs. Weasley was standing cautiously on a chair, trying to beat gingerbread men, who were now walking around the kitchen, with a wooden spoon. Fred and George stood in the doorway, sniggering quietly to themselves.

"Fred! George! You may be over seventeen, but that doesn't mean that I can't punish you!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

"Sorry, Mum," George said, waving his wand and causing all the gingerbread men to go limp once again.

Mrs. Weasley glared at the twins. "Come on, Mum. Get into the Christmas spirit," Fred said jovially. His mother rolled her eyes and everyone laughed.

* * *

Christmas was quickly approaching. Ron and Hermione's wedding had come and gone without a glitch. Bill and Fleur's baby had been born, a son (much to the relief of his father) named Arthur Olivier after his two grandfathers. There was talk of wedding bells for Harry and Ginny, and although nothing had been confirmed so far, everyone knew it was bound to happen more sooner than later. Katharine was probably the most excited out of everybody for Christmas, though. Charlie was coming home after he had been gone for a little over a month. It didn't sound like a long time, but it was an eternity to Katharine.

She had gone out shopping with Ginny for a present for him, since Ginny knew him better than she did. She ended up deciding on a journal with a brown leather cover across which she had his name emblazoned. Ever since she had bought it, she had been itching to give it to him, so when Christmas Eve finally came, she nearly burst with excitement as she arrived at the Weasleys' house.

Other than Ginny, she was the first person there. Next came the newly-wed Ron and Hermione. Hermione was practically glowing and Ron could not have looked more in love as he helped his wife out of her cloak. Percy and Harry arrived within minutes of each other; Harry bearing dozens of presents and Percy bearing the pudding. Bill and Fleur were next with baby Arthur; Mrs. Weasley did not waste any time before snatching him away from his mother ("My first grandchild!"). Fred and George were late, of course, though fashionably so, wearing cloaks of dragon skin. Dragons. That reminded Katharine of Charlie. Where was he anyway?

"He'll be here," Hermione assured her. Katharine plainly smiled in reply.

Time passed quickly. They had to eat dinner because it was getting cold. Katharine watched the snow fall outside. Hermione was right, she told herself. He will be here. He said he would, after all, so why wouldn't he be?

Finally, they were going to have to begin to open the presents because it was getting too late for Arthur. All of a sudden, a loud tapping noise came from a nearby window. Katharine got up from her place by the fire and saw an owl holding a letter in its beak. She hastily let the shivering creature inside and took the letter from it. Her heart sank as she saw her name written on the envelope in familiar messy handwriting. It could only mean bad news. All eyes were on her as she opened the letter.

_Dear Kate,_

_I hope you get this in time for you to notify my family. Unfortunately, I will not be able to join you all this Christmas. There is just too much work to be done over here for me to leave even for a day. Please know that I am extremely sorry and I wish you all a very merry Christmas._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

Katharine fought back the urge to cry and turned to the others, who were waiting expectantly. "Charlie's not coming," she said shakily. "He has a lot of things to do."

"Too busy to join his family for Christmas?" Mrs. Weasley said angrily. "I'd never expect that from him!"

"Well I'm sure he has a good reason for it," Katharine said, joining them by the tree again.

"He'd better," Bill said in an irate tone that Katharine had never heard from him before.

Katharine determinedly did not look up at either Ginny or Hermione, for each of them were looking at her with maddeningly sympathetic expressions. _Merry Christmas,_ she said sarcastically to herself.


	9. Chapter Eight: Love Will Find a Way

**Chapter Eight: Love Will Find a Way**

Rain. That was all it seemed to do anymore. Rain and rain some more. Katharine sat by a tall window in her third-floor library, staring blankly out onto the bleak countryside. All around her were the books of her childhood, the stories she used to love. Knights in shining armor on horseback galloped across the yellowing pages, rescuing their beautiful princesses from the clutches of evil. Now the books sat there, collecting dust, for it had been ages since they had been taken down from their shelves. Katharine leaned her head against the windowpane and closed her tired eyes, letting out a deep sigh. She had tried her best to live by her mother's advice, but no longer could she hold her head up. She had never been a strong person and had only been made weaker by recent events.

Ever since that Christmas, Charlie's letters began to get shorter. Katharine wrote him constantly, only to receive a few lines in reply. She had told him about Harry and Ginny's engagement, Arthur's first word ('money'), and, most recently, Hermione's first pregnancy. His last letter to her came in April. It was early July, now. Katharine continued to write him faithfully but did not receive anything in return. She had always made excuses for him, saying that "he probably had a good reason for it," or that "dragons take up a lot of his time." But now she couldn't do it anymore. No more excuses, no more kidding herself.

She barely slept anymore, nor did she care much about her appearance. Dark circles under her sad blue eyes became a regular feature of hers. Her long glossy curls seemed to have lost their bounce, and now hung lifelessly about her pale face. Since she didn't feel like eating much nowadays, she had lost a fairly large amount of weight; her once pleasantly plump figure now was unhealthily thin and frail. Many of her friends had tried to convince her to eat or to join them in going out someplace, but she was never hungry and always tired. It was devastating what heartbreak could do to people.

Katharine basically only left her house to go to work. And after her shift was over, she wouldn't linger about the Hogsmeade shops like she used to; she would go directly home. So many people were worried about her, but Tonks, who knew her the best, persuaded everyone that she needed to be alone. Katharine was grateful to her for that; she really did not feel like seeing anyone and she was glad that Tonks understood.

She could not get mad at Charlie, though, not matter how hard she tried. She was disappointed in him, of course, but never mad. Mrs. Weasley, on the other hand, was furious at her son. She loved Katharine like she was her own daughter and could not stand to see her so depressed. Most people were more surprised at Charlie than anything. He was always the gentleman on the Weasley family. Everyone had been charmed by him ever since he was a young boy, so something like this was strange for Charlie. He had never acted like this in his entire life.

As the rain poured down from the heavens onto the grass, Katharine's eyes were neither focused on what was going on outside nor on the window itself. She sat there, thinking about how life used to be, how simple it was, how joyful it was. Her reverie was broken as the sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the house. Slowly getting up from the window seat, she walked leisurely down the long spiral staircase, not even bothering to check a mirror on her way down.

The doorbell rang again. "I'm coming," Katharine shouted, her voice weak with weariness. She finally made it to the front door, and placing her delicate hand on the golden doorknob, she opened the door.

And there, on her front step in the torrential rain, stood a drenched Charlie Weasley.

Katharine's eyes widened at the sight of the man she hadn't seen in almost a year. Before she could shut the door in his face, he hurried inside.

Charlie spoke first, placing his large hands firmly on her fragile shoulders. "Listen to me, Kate," he implored. "I know you must me furious at me, but you have to let me explain myself first."

Katharine, still in shock, nodded mutely, allowing him to continue. "When I told you that I was planning on coming home for Christmas, I sincerely meant it. On Christmas Eve, however, my plans were tossed out the window when one of the female dragons' eggs hatched. Nobody was allowed to leave for any reason because everyone was needed to help take care of the baby dragons. I was devastated when I found out because I had already missed Ron and Hermione's wedding and I would have to miss Christmas, too." He paused. "Your letters were the only things that have kept me sane over the past several months. I always looked forward to the next one and I felt awful when I couldn't reply. My job has been taking up all of my time, which I shouldn't let happen." His voice lowered and he looked directly into Katharine's wide blue eyes. "I've been miserable without you, Kate. I can't sleep anymore when I do get the chance to, and I just feel horrible when I'm not around you. I can't stop thinking about you no matter how hard I've tried. I just can't do it."

Katharine's lower lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. Charlie put his hands on each side of her face, bending his head down toward hers. "Months ago," he whispered, "I promised that I would always be here for you. I intend to keep that promise." And with all the love in the world, he kissed her. Katharine's arms wound their way around Charlie's neck and her slender white fingers ran through his damp red hair. Never in her life had she loved a man as she did now. They both broke away, their faces only inches away from each other. Katharine laid her head on Charlie's chest and he held her in his arms.

"I love you," he said quietly, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too, Charlie," she replied, looking back up into his eyes.

"I can't live without you, Kate," Charlie said, gently wiping away the tears from her eyes. "That's why I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me?"

Katharine smiled for the first time in months and reached up to touch Charlie's face. "Of course," she said, feeling his rugged stubble under her soft fingertips.

Charlie took her left hand in his, and slid a simple diamond ring with a silver band onto her finger.

"It's beautiful," Katharine breathed.

"I tried," Charlie said with a smile, drawing his new fiancée in for another kiss.

As the storm raged on outside Dearborn Manor, the two lovers inside were oblivious to everything going on around them. They had eyes only for each other, loving their partner with everything they had. Katharine could not have been more happy than she was in this moment, for her handsome prince had finally come to rescue her.


End file.
